Pope Leo XIV has expressed sorrow over the recent massacre in Benue State, Nigeria, where approximately 200 people were reportedly killed during an overnight attack on June 13–14.

Speaking during his Angelus address from the Vatican on Sunday, the pontiff offered prayers for the victims, most of whom were internally displaced persons (IDPs) staying at a Catholic mission in Yelwata, located in Guma Local Government Area.

The Pope described the attack as “a terrible massacre” marked by “extreme cruelty.” He stated:

“On the night of the 13th/14th June, in the town of Yelwata in the Guma Local Government Area in Benue State in Nigeria.”

“A terrible massacre occurred in which around 200 people were killed with extreme cruelty. Most of whom were internally displaced persons hosted by the local catholic mission.”

Expressing solidarity with the people of Nigeria, the Pope underscored the vulnerability of rural Christian communities in Benue and called for lasting peace and justice.

“I pray that security, justice, and peace will prevail in Nigeria, a beloved country so affected by various forms of violence.
And I pray in a special way for the rural Christian communities in Benue State, who have been unceasingly the victims of violence.”

Beyond Nigeria, Pope Leo also extended his prayers to other regions gripped by conflict, including Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and the Middle East, urging global attention and compassion.

Soldiers from the 14 Brigade Headquarters, Goodluck Jonathan Barracks in Ohafia, have successfully thwarted an attempted hijack of two commercial buses in Abia State.

The troops, attached to the 145 Battalion at the Isiala Ngwa South checkpoint on the Enugu-Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt expressway, intervened swiftly following a report from a vigilant bus driver.

The two Coaster buses, operated by a Cooperative Union, had departed from the busy Ochendo Motor Park in Aba and were headed to Umuahia with about 72 passengers on board.

According to eyewitness accounts, one of the drivers became suspicious of several passengers who displayed unusual behavior and insisted on getting off at a known dangerous spot along the route.

“Along the way, the driver noticed suspicious behavior from certain passengers who insisted on disembarking at an infamously unsafe location during the night.”

Despite repeated threats from the suspects, including one who allegedly vowed to “blow his head off,” the driver made the critical decision to bypass the stop and proceed directly to the army checkpoint at Isiala Ngwa.

“Sensing imminent danger, the driver defied the passengers’ repeated threats… and instead accelerated toward the Isiala Ngwa Army checkpoint.”

Upon arrival, he quickly alerted the soldiers, who carried out a thorough search of the bus. During the inspection, weapons were discovered on several passengers.

“Upon reaching the soldiers, the driver quickly raised an alarm. A search of the passengers confirmed his fears: the suspects were carrying firearms and weapons.”

Realizing the threat could extend to a second bus following closely behind, the first driver urgently warned his colleague not to stop until reaching the checkpoint.

The second driver complied, and soldiers again conducted a search, discovering three more armed individuals believed to be part of the same gang.

“Acting swiftly, the first driver then alerted his colleague… warning him not to stop anywhere but instead to head straight to the military checkpoint.”

“The second driver complied without hesitation… soldiers conducted a search and found three additional armed men suspected to be accomplices of the first group.”

In total, six suspects were apprehended, all of whom were armed.

Authorities believe they were members of a criminal syndicate targeting buses for kidnapping and robbery.

Thanks to the sharp instincts of the drivers and the prompt response of the Nigerian Army, no passengers were harmed.

“Every commuter on both buses was rescued safely without injury, thanks to the professional training, vigilance, and bravery of the Cooperative Union drivers and the swift response of the Nigerian Army,” a source said.

One grateful passenger expressed heartfelt appreciation:

“This could have ended in bloodshed. These drivers are heroes. They saved us all.”

The Cooperative Transport Union lauded the drivers for their courage and adherence to safety protocols. They also extended gratitude to the Nigerian Army for its efficient intervention.

The arrested suspects remain in military custody as investigations continue into their operations and possible accomplices.

Police officers in Benue State on Sunday fired teargas at demonstrators gathered at the Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi to protest the killing of more than 100 people in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, on Saturday.

According to our correspondent, the protest began around 9:30am as residents converged on the busy roundabout to express outrage over the previous day’s massacre.

Security personnel from various agencies had earlier mounted surveillance across strategic locations in Makurdi from as early as 7:00am.

A police Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed at Wurukum junction, and soldiers were deployed to the nearby bridgehead.

Officers from the police, NDLEA, NSCDC, and other agencies were also seen, armed with sophisticated weapons.

Sources indicated that the heavy security presence was intended to deter protests.

However, as the crowd swelled, police officers fired teargas around 11:00am to disperse the protesters.

Despite this, demonstrators remained defiant.

Among those present was well-known social media activist VeryDarkMan, who joined the protest and drew more attention to the event.

At the scene, Benue State Police Commissioner Ifeanyi Enemari addressed the crowd, appealing to the youths to end the protest and assuring them that security forces were actively responding to the violence.

“The Inspector General of Police has taken over the security of Benue State.”

“As I speak to you now, the IG has already sent Special Forces who are already on ground and more are coming.”

“All the Special Forces are intelligence forces, they will go no matter where the bandits are and get them,” Enemari said.

He added:

“The ones you see here on ground just arrived last night. The previous sets have been deployed to Naka, Apa, Agatu, Daudu and Yelewata.”

“We are in control of the situation, so I’m assuring all citizens of the State that we are in control. All the security agencies are with us on this. We have already made some arrests.”

According to Enemari, the Benue State Governor is fully supporting the security response:

“The Governor has already given us all the necessary support, all the logistics, every support we need, and we are going to do it, just be patient.”

“What you see happening in Yelewata yesterday is because we have taken over Apa, Gwer West and moving seriously in Agatu. They just want to do something to show that they are in control while they are not and will never be.”

He concluded with a plea to the demonstrators:

“Whatever is paining you is paining us more. We are here to protect lives and property. We have security everywhere now, even in Yelewata there are tactical teams in the bush even before the attack. Give the special forces and tactical teams room to work.”

“If you prolong your stay here, you are giving the enemies more time to plan. We have intelligence reports of their movement and we are blocking them and you will see the end result.”